The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-12-01
VERMONT,
ReuniOns-What Regiments Rave Held the Great
est Number.

EDTToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In looking
over the columns of Reunions" in the last
few numbers of The NATIONAL TRIBUNE/I
find that they are becoming much more numer-
Gus than a few years ago. As the survivors of
each regiment become fewer, and the lapse Of
time adds new interest and sheds a halo on the
old war days comrades that are left still upon
the stage of action become more endeared to
each other; the ties of comradcship cemented
in the camp, the march, the biyouac and the
battlefield become more sacred and thus the
regimental Reunions are becoming more nu-
merous and of greater interest.
Ofsuch Reunions reported in THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE held during August and September,
find that very few give the number Of their
annual Reunion, hence it is somewhat difficult
to arrive at statistics on this subject. Some are
holding their first meeting this year, many
their second or third annual gathering together.
and so on up in the scale of numbers.
While looking over the accounts as published
in your paper as above, / have only made
note OF such organizations as have numbered
Is annual Reunions, or more, of those where
the number is specified. As the great mass Of
the reports do not give the number, of course L
have no means of judging, and this account
cannot be therefore complete.
OF % annual regimentai Reunions reported
in THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE this year wherein
the number of Reunions is given / find as fol-
lows: Two regiments, the 4Sth N. i. and 23d
n. Y. l.. A. held their 26th annual Reunion;
the 96th Ohio held its ed; the 18TH y. Y,
35th Mass, 123d Ohio and Dist Mass. held their
22d; the 10th N. Y, 18th Conn. Both H., I'd
Conn. and sth Ohio their 2lst; the 18th Mich.
its goth; the 9th Conn.,, 3Sth Mass and LIST
Mass. III. A. their 10Th; the sd Pa, 1st N. Y.
Dragons, 127th ILL.,, 1st Conn. III. A, 9TH Mich.
and 10Th Ohio their 18Th.
As / stated before, this list Is necessarily in
/ n IL l. =
of other Reunions held numbering even with
those given above.
As the volunteer troops were disbanded in
1865, it is not probable that any regiment serv-
| ing until the close of the war could number
| over % ANNALS; and yet two of the regiments
| given above number their 26th and one its ODD.
| This number is made up probably by counting
/ the years from date of musJer-in, although it
/ is hardly proper to count the muster-in as a
| Reunion, nor should it be counted that each
| year of service in the army was q Reunion. So
| it is doubtful If any regiment can register over
/ % bOua-fde Reunions, and iG is to be presumed
\ that very few will be able to count that many.
/ 1t would be interesting to know in this con-
nection how many organizations date back to
/ the year after the close OF the war-lS66-
4 have met yearly ever since, keeping their Or
| CARNATIONS intact through all these changing
/ years.
But the gray frosts of lifes Winter are fast
whitening our heads. Even those who march
ed gaily forth in the buOyancy of youth a
quarter of a century ago are also beginning to
| look like old boys" And the few remaining
comrades will cherish with deeper feeling and
affection the strong ties which bind US together
in a common brotherhood. And the day will
come when the 100 or 200 members of each or
ganization who meet to-day to enjoy the social
pleasures and recount the thrilling scenes OF
the past will be reduced to 10, to five, and
finally but one solitary comrade will be left,
like the barren trunk of dead tree in the
midst of the field.
Will the one or two lonely old soldiers re-
naming continue to visit yearly the halls and
scenes of so many happy Reunions in the days
gone by? All no. Borne down by the weight
of years and infrmities, they will sit by their
fresides on Reunion day filed with sad but
comforting memories of the past, their bowed
and broken forms only awaiting the final tattoo
which comes in the night of life to summon
them to join again the. ranks of their comrades
gone BEFORE. q. HARRIS, SD Pa, Yenango
Pa.